Air Raid Damage Reports Brentwood Division Essex Fire Service October 1944.

Date                Time   Location         Damage

06/10/1944    20.00  Pilgrims          2 houses slightly damaged by cannon fire from

Hatch             friendly aircraft when attacking ‘Fly’.  No casualties.

07/10/1944    08.56  Pitsea             1 H.E. (R.P) fell at Northlands Drive causing 3

serious and 30 slight casualties.  Extensive damage to dwelling houses and shops in the locality.

09/10/1944    09.50  Great              1 – H.E. (R.P) fell and exploded on New England

Wakering       Island 120 yards SE of sea wall and 800 yards SW of Lt Shelford.  No damage or casualties.

10/10/1944    00.20  Billericay        1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in field about 1/2 mile E of Lt

Blunts Farm slight damage to property.  No casualties.

11/10/1944    00.47  Raweth          1 – H.E. (R.P) fell 200 yards S of Beke Hall Chase,

                                                            slight damage to property.  No casualties.

12/10/1944    11.00  Raweth          1 – H.E. (R.P) exploded near Archers Farm 5 slight

                                                            casualties.  30 houses damaged.

13/10/1944    06.47  Great              1 – H.E. (R.P) exploded in the air.  No damage or

                                    Burstead        casualties.

13/10/1944    07.20  Barling           1 – H.E. (R.P) 400 yards ESE Baldwins Farm, no

casualties.  Slight damage to 12 properties and sea wall.

14/10/1944    03.50  Billericay        1 ‘Fly’ exploded at rear of Bulstead Farm causing

fire to stacks and farm buildings, 3 slight casualties, 10 houses severely damaged and 90 slightly.

15/10/1944                Shopland      1 ‘Fly’ exploded in field at Beauchamps Farm,

                                                            slight damage to property, no casualties.

16/10/1944    05.08  Rochford       1 – C.C. ‘Fly’ exploded in field nr Blatches Farm,

                                                            slight damage to property, no casualties.

17/10/1944    22.15  Langdon        1 – Bungalow was superficially damaged by a

Hills                cannon shell fired by an allied aircraft attacking ‘Fly’.

21/10/1944    04.49  Rushley         1 – ‘Fly’ exploded on Marshland 500 yards NW of

                                    Island             Havengore Bridge, no damage or casualties.

21/10/1944    23.21  Rayleigh        1 – ‘Fly’ exploded in High Street completely

demolishing 2 houses, 32 houses seriously damaged and 250 slightly damaged causing 4 fatal casualties, 5 seriously and 20 slightly injured.

23/10/1944    14.15  Nevendon     1 – Susp. Wasp exploded 300 yards Sth Nevendon

Junior School.  Damage to property, 4 slight casualties.

24/10/1944    00.25  Langdon        1 – Susp. Wasp exploded 200 yards E Westley

Hills                Hall Farm.  Extensive damage to property, 4 slight casualties.

24/10/1944    01.00  Dunton          1 – ‘Fly’ exploded 50 yards W Union Jack Tea

Rooms.  5 houses slightly damaged, 1 serious casualty 3 slight casualties.  Gas main and electric cable damaged.

24/10/1944    22.29  Canvey          Susp. Wasp believed to have exploded in mud at

Island             Eastern end of Canvey Island.  Glass damage, no casualties.

25/10/1944    00.10  Langdon        1 – ‘Fly’ exploded (shot down) in mid air at Lee

Hills                Chapel Lane, 9 slight casualties and approx. 60 houses sustained slight damage.

25/10/1944    01.00  Basildon        3 bungalows in Campbell Road were slightly

damaged by cannon fire from aircraft attacking ‘Fly’.  No casualties.

25/10/1944    12.45  Shotgate        1 – Susp. Wasp exploded in field on Shotgate

Farm about 700 yards N of Shotgate Post Office.  1 slight casualty and slight damage was caused to property.

25/10/1944    19.40  Thundersley 3 houses at Thundersley and 5 houses at South

and South      Benfleet were slightly damaged by cannon fire

Benfleet         from an aircraft attacking a ‘Fly’.  No casualties.

29/10/1944    05.15  Rochford       1 –  A.A. Shell exploded in garden 20 yards W of

Doggett’s Farm Cottages, Doggett’s Chase.  N.D.C.

29/10/1944    05.20  Rochford       1 –  A.A. Shell exploded in field 400 yards W of

                                                            Cock Inn Hall Road.  N.D.C.

29/10/1944    05.25  Rochford       1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field at Swaines Farm. 

                                                            N.D.C.

29/10/1944    05.25  Rochford       1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell at Swaines Farm.  N.D.C.

29/10/1944    23.50  Shenfield       1 – Susp. Wasp exploded in field adjoining

L.N.E.R. Railway Inn.  Approx. 60 houses sustained slight damage, no casualties.  Railway telephone lines down.

31/10/1944    06.40  Canewdon    1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell at Holmes Farm.  N.D.C.

31/10/1944    Unknown  Hutton     1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in garden of Laburnum

                                                            Cottage Hanging Hill Lane.  N.D.C.

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